Getty DK Metcalf is staying out of things.
The Russell Wilson trade rumors turned out to be true, only those winds weren’t blowing him to Philadelphia. Seattle sent Wilson packing to the Denver Broncos on Tuesday for a king’s ransom, including two first-rounders and quarterback Drew Lock. It is one of the biggest trades in NFL history, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Eagles had been rumored to be in the mix to land Wilson. They had the draft picks — three first-rounders in 2022 — and a rising young quarterback in Jalen Hurts to dangle out there in a trade. The negotiations never got serious enough to force a move.
The nine-time Pro Bowler had a no-trade clause and didn’t seem willing to waive it for an East Coast team. And the Seahawks probably preferred to keep Wilson out of the NFC. Now the Super Bowl-winning quarterback heads to Denver where he’ll look to turn John Elway’s franchise around.
The Eagles need to trade a first for DK Metcalf.
Meanwhile, there is another player to keep an eye on in the aftermath. Pro Bowl receiver DK Metcalf might not be happy with a changing of the guard in Seattle. He thought of Wilson as a “big brother” and the two enjoyed quite a bit of success in three seasons together for the Seahawks.
Would he request a trade? He’s due for a big contract extension in 2023 and those talks should have been heating up. It’s been pretty quiet on that front, though. Seattle could turn him loose to the highest bidder and keep the rebuild going.
I can’t see DK Metcalf wanting to stay in Seattle and catch passes from Drew Lock. #Eagles should be all-in on a trade for him. Offer a 1st-rounder, plus whatever else they want. Throw in Miles Sanders. He’s gone next year anyway. #FlyEaglesFly
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Eagles Have Plenty to Offer for DK Metcalf
The Eagles certainly can get creative with an offer for Metcalf. They own the No. 15, No. 16, No. 19 picks in April’s draft and no receiver on the board is better than the guy they passed on for J.J. Arcega-Whiteside in 2019. Metcalf has 216 receptions for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns over his first three seasons. He’s elite, one of the top receivers in football.
Philadelphia could pair up one of those first-rounders with a young playmaker on the outs. Miles Sanders would be an interesting name to float in a trade considering he’s heading toward free agency in 2023. And general manager Howie Roseman didn’t sound like he was in a hurry to get an extension done for the injury-prone running back. Sanders would be the ultimate pot sweetener in a Metcalf deal.
GM Howie Roseman of the #Eagles
Miles Sanders: “The best is yet to come”
Jalen Reagor: “we need Jalen to do what we draft Jalen to do.”
The Eagles also have the usual suspects to offer: left tackle Andre Dillard, wide receiver Jalen Reagor, quarterback Gardner Minshew. Derek Barnett would be another one if they did it ahead of free agency. Or maybe Seattle would want an older All-Pro player in Fletcher Cox. Again, plenty of options for Metcalf.
Roseman Addressed Cap Flexibility, Trade Options
The Eagles have 12 in-house players to make decisions on heading into free agency, including five restricted free agents: Nate Herbig, Jason Croom, Greg Ward, Alex Singleton, Boston Scott.
Roseman has never been afraid to be aggressive and brought up the possibility of a trade multiple times on March 2 at the NFL Scouting Combine. First, he wants to “evaluate our own team” and see what the biggest strengths and weaknesses are.
“It’s utilizing the cap space on guys that fit our scheme,” Roseman said. “It’s utilizing the other draft picks on guys who fit our scheme. It’s if we make a trade, finding guys that fit what we are trying to do offensively and defensively and going from there.”
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